Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Zulus Live in Land Without a Square" by John Updike is a culturally evocative poem that explores the concept of living in a world dominated by curves rather than straight lines. Inspired by a passage from "The New York Times", Updike reflects on the traditional Zulu lifestyle, emphasizing the absence of straight lines in their architecture and land cultivation. The poem creatively plays with the idea of cultural differences in perception and expression, blending physical descriptions with philosophical implications.

The poem opens by grounding the reader in the geographical and cultural setting of Zululand, where "the huts are round, / The windows oval, and the rooves / Thatched parabolically." The imagery here is richly descriptive, emphasizing organic and rounded structures that harmonize with the natural environment. This architectural choice reflects a worldview that is intrinsically different from the grid-like, angular constructs typically found in Western urban landscapes.

Updike continues with the verse, "The ground / Is tilled in curvilinear grooves," further illustrating the absence of straight lines even in agriculture. This detail not only paints a vivid picture of the landscape but also symbolizes a way of life that flows with the natural contours of the earth, rather than imposing rigid structures upon it.

The poem subtly shifts from physical descriptions to expressions of emotions and communications: "When Zulus cannot smile, they frown, / To keep an arc before the eye." Here, Updike suggests that even emotional expressions are influenced by cultural contexts, with the curvature of a frown maintaining the consistency of rounded forms in visual experience.

Describing how Zulus convey distances, Updike writes, "They say, 'As flies the butterfly.'" This metaphor captures the non-linear, meandering path of a butterfly in flight, contrasting sharply with direct, linear measurements more common in Western discourse. This line beautifully encapsulates the essence of a worldview that embraces the unpredictable and the indirect.

The poem concludes with the lines, "Anfractuosity is king. / Melodic line itself is banned, / Though all are hip enough to sing -- / There are no squares in Zululand." "Anfractuosity," meaning convoluted or complex, is crowned as a prevailing principle, reinforcing the theme of complexity and non-linearity. The ban on a straightforward "melodic line" in music metaphorically aligns with the visual and spatial theme of the poem, suggesting a cultural preference for variation and complexity over simplicity and directness. The final line, "There are no squares in Zululand," serves as a poignant and playful conclusion, reinforcing the unique cultural perspective that eschews angularity for the fluidity of curves.

Overall, "Zulus Live in Land Without a Square" by John Updike is a thoughtful exploration of how cultural environments shape perceptions of the world. Through his poetic depiction of Zulu architecture, land use, and expressive forms, Updike invites readers to consider the profound ways in which our surroundings influence our ways of seeing, thinking, and being.

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